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Recipe: Caramel Apple Tart

Recipe: Caramel Apple Tart Shikha la modeRecipe: Caramel Apple Tart Shikha la mode Recipe: Caramel Apple Tart Shikha la mode Recipe: Caramel Apple Tart Shikha la mode Recipe: Caramel Apple Tart Shikha la mode Recipe: Caramel Apple Tart Shikha la mode Recipe: Caramel Apple Tart Shikha la mode Recipe: Caramel Apple Tart Shikha la mode

Update: It’s still cold.

I’ve just accepted it. No matter how high I blast my space heater or how many men’s sweaters I wear, I will remain nippy until December 22nd. Then I go to CUBA.

Like all my trips, Cuba came about serendipitously. With my mom in India for the holidays, I originally planned to visit one of my best friends in New York. But as we searched Google Flights—the mecca and cause of many a last-minute plane ticket—we found (cheap) direct flights from NYC to Havana, sooooooooo of course we had to snag them. And so with the US election upset and death of Fidel Castro still fresh, I’ll set out to witness what this Caribbean country is all about.

But that’s later. Right now, I’m spending my time voraciously reading Lonely Planet, lurking near my oven to stay warm, and using the weekends to have quality time with friends and cook fall à la mode desserts.

I like this caramel apple tart recipe because It’s the easiest way to use puff pastry, a dough that many people feel daunted by. You just roll it out and bake it off, nothing else. The ? is to keep the dough in the fridge whenever you aren’t using it. This keeps the butter cold so that when heated, it will create steam pockets that make the puff rise beautifully and make you look like a bamf.

You can use whatever apples you like for this tart as well. Because I have an affinity for everything mini, I used crab apples, which are basically apples for ants. They’re freaking cute as hell and make the tart look even more gorgeous. If your knife skills are still a work in progress, beware that it’ll take you some time to slice the apples thinly, but don’t rush—the more even the slices, the better the tart will look and bake.

Do any of you have holiday travel plans coming up? LMK in the comments—I need travel ideas for next year!

Caramel Apple Tart

Created by on December 6, 2016

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  • Prep Time: 30m
  • Cook Time: 40m
  • Total Time: 1h 10m
  • Serves: 8
  • Yield: 1 tart or 6-8 pieces

Ingredients

Tart Base

  • 14 ounces package puff pastry, defrosted in fridge
  • 1 pound crab apples
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut into small bits
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/4 teaspoon flaky sea salt
  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream

Caramel Topping

    Instructions

    1. Line a baking sheet with a Silpat and set aside.
    2. Flour a large countertop and roll out the puff pastry until it fits the baking sheet. Make sure to roll from the center out, NOT back and forth—otherwise you will flatten the butter into the dough and it won\'t puff up, which defeats the whole purpose.
    3. When the pastry is the right size, cut it into 6-8 pieces, depending on how many tarts you want to make. Place in Silpat and place the baking sheet in the fridge until ready to use.
    4. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
    5. Core and slice the apples as thinly as possible. Place them in a large bowl and toss with sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg.
    6. Remove the baking sheet from the fridge and layer apples on top of each tart, placing them closely together to create an overlapping pattern. When you\'re done, place the baking sheet back in the fridge for 15 minutes.
    7. Sprinkle apples with the cut-up butter pieces and bake for 30 minutes, until the pastry has risen and is a light golden color.
    8. About 20 minutes into the baking time, make the caramel. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, cook the remaining 1/4 cup sugar over medium-high heat until it caramelizes and turns a deep golden color. Remove from heat and stir in the butter, whisking constantly.
    9. Stir in cream and return to stove over medium-low heat. Whisk and keep heated for 1 more minute and then turn off stove. Keep aside.
    10. When tart is baked, remove from oven and CAREFULLY brush the apples and the outside tart edges with the caramel, making sure not to displace the apples. Return to oven for another 5-10 minutes until the caramel is bubbling and the sides of the tart are a deep golden color.
    11. Let cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before serving, with a heaping scoop of ice cream of course.
    12. If for some act of GOD there are leftovers, wrap carefully in plastic wrap. It will keep at room temperature for only a day. Rewarm in the oven to crisp up the pastry before eating.
    Source: Smitten Kitchen

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